Act 1, Scene 4

[Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or six Maskers, Torch-bearers, and others]

Romeo

What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse?

Or shall we on without apology?

Benvolio

The date is out of such prolixity.

We'll have no Cupid hoodwink'd with a scarf,

Romeo

So, should we make a little speech to excuse our being here, or should we just go straight in without an apology?

Benvolio

I think that kind of theatrical wordiness is old-fashioned. We don’t have one of us dressed up as blindfolded Cupid, scaring the ladies half to death with a plywood bow and arrow he borrowed from the theater props. Nor have we memorized a prologue and designated a prompter for the lines. They can judge us however they want. We’re just here for a few dances and then we’ll take off.

Romeo

Give me one of the torches to hold. I’m not in the mood for dancing, and since I’m feeling heavy I may as well hold up the light.

Bearing a Tartar's painted bow of lath,

Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper;

Allusion

“Cupid hoodwink’d with a scarf”

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

“Cupid hoodwink’d with a scarf”

In this reference to the mythological figure Cupid, Benvolio imagines their group making a dramatic entrance to the Capulet party. In the scenario he describes, one of their group is dressed up as Cupid, complete with his blindfold to indicate love is blind. Cupid then blindly aims at the guests what looks like a murderous Turkish bow and arrow, scaring the ladies half to death. But it's really just a stage prop.

But let them measure us by what they will;

We'll measure them a measure, and be gone.

Wordplay

“measure”

[Click to see note.]

Wordplay

“measure”

Benvolio takes advantage of the several possible meanings of the word “measure” to engage in a bit of wordplay. The other guests can measure (judge) them however they want. Benvolio and his friends will measure (grant) the women guests a measure (dance).

Romeo

Give me a torch; I am not for this ambling.

Being but heavy, I will bear the light.

Wordplay

“heavy,” “bear,” and “light”

[Click to see note.]

Wordplay

“heavy,” “bear,” and “light”

Here, Romeo plays with the opposite meanings of heavy and light to turn a clever wordplay. Too "heavy," or sad, to dance, Romeo only wants to hold the light. He, or something "heavy", will then bear something "light"—the torch.

Mercutio

Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.

Romeo

Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes

With nimble soles. I have a soul of lead

Wordplay

“soles” and “soul”

[Click to see note.]

Wordplay

“soles” and “soul”

Romeo plays on the similar sound of sole and soul. First, he refers to the nimble soles of shoes. Then he contrasts those nimble soles with his "soul of lead," which weighs him down because of his lovesickness.

So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.

Mercutio

Mercutio

No, no, Romeo, you’ve got to dance.

Romeo

I’m not going to dance, believe me. You have dancing shoes with nimble soles. I have a soul as heavy as lead that weighs me to the ground so I can’t move.

Mercutio

You’re a lover: go borrow Cupid’s wings and you’ll be able to soar above the rest of us.

Romeo

I’m too sore after the wound from Cupid’s arrow to soar with his feathers. I’m so bound by this burden of love that I can’t go bounding around happily. I am weighed down with woe. I sink under this heavy burden of love.

You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings,

And soar with them above a common bound.

Romeo

I am too sore empierced with his shaft

To soar with his light feathers, and so bound,

I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe.

Under love's heavy burden do I sink.

Mercutio

And, to sink in it should you burden love,

Too great oppression for a tender thing.

Romeo

Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,

Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.

Mercutio

If love be rough with you, be rough with love;

Mercutio

You would indeed burden love if you were to sink inside of it, which is too much for a tender little thing.

Romeo

Is love a tender thing? No, it’s rough, abrupt, harsh, and it pricks like a thorn.

Mercutio

If it’s rough with you, then you should be rough with love. Give love a prick for pricking you--that’ll beat love down. Someone give me a mask for my face. As the saying goes, “a beautiful visor will hide an ugly face.” But what do I care if some nosy onlooker finds me ugly? Here’s a surly-looking mask; it can blush on my behalf.

Benvolio

Here we are. Let’s knock and enter. As soon as we’re inside everyone should start dancing.

Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.

Give me a case to put my visage in.

A visor for a visor — what care I

What curious eye doth quote deformities —

Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.

Benvolio

Come, knock and enter, and no sooner in,

But every man betake him to his legs.

Romeo

A torch for me. Let wantons, light of heart,

Tickle the senseless rushes with their heels,

Language

“senseless rushes”

[Click to see note.]

Language

“senseless rushes”

Sometimes rooms in manor houses were strewn with rushes (or reeds), which served as a kind of carpet. As opposed to decorative plants which were alive, these were dead, or senseless. They obviously couldn't feel that they were being tickled by the dancers' feet.

For I am proverb'd with a grandsire phrase.

I'll be a candle-holder, and look on;

Romeo

Not me. Just give me a torch. Those of you with light-hearted and carefree spirits can get out there and burn up the dance floor. I’m reminded of two old proverbs: the worst shall hold the candle, and it’s best to quit while you’re ahead, so I should be done.

Mercutio

Hey, come on, man! Being “dun” is for dull brown mice. Of course if you meant “dun” like a drab horse, we’ll pull you out of that swamp you seem to be trapped in. Come on, we’re wasting daylight here.

Romeo

No, that’s not true, it’s already dark.

The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done.

Mercutio

Tut, dun's the mouse, the constable's own word.

If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire

Or, save your reverence, love, wherein thou stickest

Word Nerd

"save your reverence"

[Click to launch video.]

Up to the ears. Come, we burn daylight, ho!

Romeo

Nay, that's not so.

Mercutio

I mean, sir, in delay

We waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day.

Language

“burn daylight”

[Click to see note.]

Language

“burn daylight”

Mercutio uses this proverbial expression to mean to waste time. To “burn daylight” means to waste the daylight hours, which is the only time work can be done. But Romeo thinks he means burning candles or torches during daylight, which would be a waste of resources, not a waste of time. In explaining what he meant, Mercutio relates the two: it's nighttime, but by standing around talking instead of getting to the party, they are wasting their torches, just as they would if they burned them during the daytime.

Take our good meaning, for our judgment sits

Five times in that ere once in our five wits.

Romeo

And we mean well in going to this mask;

Mercutio

I meant that we’re wasting our torches, which are as useless as lamps in the daytime if we’re just going to stand here. Come on, don’t misunderstand my good intentions here. Using your judgment is usually five times as helpful as relying on your five senses.

Romeo

I know we don’t have any bad intentions going to this party, but I think it’s not smart to go.

Mercutio

Why, may one ask?

Romeo

I had a dream last night.

Mercutio

And so did I.

But 'tis no wit to go.

Mercutio

Why, may one ask?

Romeo

I dream'd a dream tonight.

Mercutio

And so did I.

Romeo

Well, what was yours?

Mercutio

That dreamers often lie.

Romeo

In bed asleep, while they do dream things true.

Mercutio

Romeo

Well, what was yours?

Mercutio

That dreamers often lie.

Romeo

Right, they “lie” in bed dreaming true dreams.

Mercutio

If you think that you’re dreams are true, then I see you’ve been visited by Queen Mab. She’s the fairy’s midwife of dreams, and she appears no bigger than a precious stone in an official’s ring. She’s drawn in her carriage by a team of tiny creatures across men’s noses as the sleep.

O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.

She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes

In shape no bigger than an agate-stone

Allusion

“agate-stone”

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

“agate-stone”

An agate-stone was a carved stone set in a ring used to stamp into the sealing wax of private letters or official documents.

On the fore-finger of an alderman,

Drawn with a team of little atomies

Over men's noses as they lie asleep;

Her wagon spokes made of long spiders' legs;

Performance

Lines 51-67

[Click to launch video.]

The cover, of the wings of grasshoppers;

The traces of the smallest spider's web;

The collars of the moonshine's watery beams;

(Mercutio)

Her wagon-spokes are made of spider’s legs, the wagon cover is made of grasshopper wings, the harness comes from the smallest spider’s web, the horse collars are made out of moonbeams, her whip is a cricket shell, her lash is a gossamer thread. Her driver is a small gnat with a grey coat; he’s not half as wide as the tiny mite which you could prick from scabies of a lazy maid who doesn’t keep herself clean. Her carriage is an empty hazelnut shell, made by a squirrel or maybe an old grub worm, the traditional fairy coach-makers since a time no one remembers.

Her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film;

Her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat,

Not so big as a round little worm

Prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid.

Allusion

“round little worm”

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

“round little worm”

The round little worm is the the tiny mite that causes scabies, a skin affliction affecting people with bad hygiene—in this case a lazy maid who doesn't wash her hands.

Her chariot is an empty hazelnut

Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub,

Allusion

“joiner squirrel or old grub”

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

“joiner squirrel or old grub”

Squirrels and worms were considered the carpenters of the animal kingdom—one gnawed on wood, while the other bored through it—and this reference frequently appears in literature of the time.

Time out o' mind the fairies' coach-makers.

And in this state she gallops night by night

Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love;

O'er courtiers' knees, that dream on curtsies straight;

Language

“curtsies straight”

[Click to see note.]

Language

“curtsies straight”

The dreamer dreamed straightaway of receiving someone's curtsy, a bending of the knee made as a gesture of respect.

Or, alternatively, he dreamed of receiving a "straight" curtsy – that is, any courtesy, any act of politeness, other than a curtsy.

O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees;

(Mercutio)

And in this majestic state she gallops every night through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love. She gallops over noblemen’s knees, who dream of receiving curtsies; over lawyers’ fingers, who dream of counting their fees; over ladies’ lips, who dream of kisses, though an angry Queen Mab often puts blisters on their lips when she smells dessert on their breath. Sometime she gallops over a courtier’s nose, who then smells a commission from representing someone at court. And sometimes she tickles the nose of the priest with the tail of a pig given by a parishioner as tithe, so that the priest dreams of taking more from the church.

O'er ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream,

Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues,

Performance

Lines 68-79

[Click to launch video.]

Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are.

Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose,

Allusion

“courtier” and “suit”

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

“courtier” and “suit”

The government of Shakespeare's England was a monarchy, in which Queen Elizabeth was a powerful autocratic ruler. Courtiers were the nobles who were prominent around the royal court. People who had dealings with the government—who had some suit, or request, to take up with the queen—would need a courtier to help them get access, sort of like a lobbyist in Washington. And like a lobbyist, they would expect a receive a fee for their services.

And then dreams he of smelling out a suit.

And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail,

Word Nerd

"suit"

[Click to launch video.]

Tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep —

Then dreams he of another benefice.

Allusion

“benefice”

[Click to see note.]

Allusion

“benefice”

In the Anglican church, the head priest in charge of a parish received compensation—a benefice—from the parish church. If a priest could manage to become the top priest of multiple parishes, then he received multiple benefices.

Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck,

And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats,

Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades,

Performance

Lines 80-93b

[Click to launch video.]

Of healths five-fathom deep; and then anon

Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes;

And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two

(Mercutio)

Sometimes she drives over a soldier’s neck, and he dreams of cutting enemy throats, of breaching castle walls, of ambushes, of Spanish swords, of drinking deep to toasts, and then she drums in his ear, which startles him. He wakes, says a prayer or two, and goes back to sleep. But this is the same fairy Mab that puts knots in the manes of horses, that puts magic tangles in a prostitute’s hair, whose untangling causes much misfortune. This Mab is that hag who lies on top of young girls sleeping and teaches them to bear so much weight, so they may carry things well. This Mab is the one—

And sleeps again. This is that very Mab

That plaits the manes of horses in the night,

And bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs,

Which once untangled, much misfortune bodes.

This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,

That presses them and learns them first to bear,

Making them women of good carriage.

Double Entendre

“presses,” “bear,” and “carriage”

[Click to see note.]

Double Entendre

“presses,” “bear,” and “carriage”

Mercutio’s wordplay is rife with sexual innuendo:

Queen Mab "presses" or pushes on young maids during delivery to teach them be bear a child, making them women of good carriage, or women who are capable of carrying babies.

In another sense of the line, Queen Mab forces them to have sex, teaching them to bear a man's weight, so they become good at carrying men during sex.

This is she —

Romeo

Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace!

Thou talk'st of nothing.

Wordplay

“nothing”

[Click to see note.]

Wordplay

“nothing”

Romeo engages in a bit of wordplay here, resulting in a double meaning:

In one sense, "nothing" can mean nonsense, as in, this whole speech doesn't make any sense to Romeo.

But "nothing" is also slang for the vagina. In that sense, Romeo interrupts Mercutio when he starts talking of a woman’s giving birth or having sex.

Mercutio

True, I talk of dreams,

Which are the children of an idle brain,

Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,

Which is as thin of substance as the air,

Romeo

Stop, Mercutio, stop! You talk nonsense.

Mercutio

True, I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain, born from nothing except frivolous imaginations. They are just as insubstantial as air, and as fickle as the wind, which one moment blows from the frozen north, and then gets angry and goes and blows from the humid south.

Benvolio

All this hot air you’re talking about is blowing us in the wrong direction. The dinner’s over and we’re going to be too late.

And more inconstant than the wind, who woos

Even now the frozen bosom of the north,

And, being angered, puffs away from thence,

Turning his face to the dew-dropping south.

Benvolio

This wind you talk of blows us from ourselves;

Supper is done, and we shall come too late.

Romeo

I fear too early, for my mind misgives

Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars,

Shall bitterly begin his fearful date

With this night's revels, and expire the term

Romeo

I’m afraid we’re going to be too early. I have some weird apprehension that something bad is going to begin tonight at this party, something that will only end with my untimely death. But I’ll let destiny take the wheel now! Let’s go, friends.